Delco creates board to review revitalization

MEDIA — Delaware County Council authorized last week the creation of a board charged with establishing new revitalization zones in Chester.

The Delaware County Chester City Revitalization and Improvement Authority will designate various parcels as City Revitalization and Improvement Zones. State and local taxes collected within those zones will be used to repay debt service to spark economic development projects within the zones.

The zones are enabled by the state’s new CRIZ program. Created by Act 52 of 2013, the program seeks to revive the downtowns of Third Class cities and create new jobs for residents.

Advertisement

The new authority will formulate a plan that must be submitted and approved by the state. Councilman John McBlain said the CRIZ program is similar but more micro-focused than the Keystone Opportunity Zones that spurred development on Chester’s waterfront.

“Only so many projects will be picked by the state to be certified,” McBlain said in a phone interview after the meeting. “This is going to be a competitive process between Third Class cities going forward. The board is going to have its work cut out for it.”

McBlain and council Vice Chairman Mario Civera, both Republicans, praised the creation of the program, but also asked that it be extended beyond Third Class cities. McBlain pointed to Upper Darby Township as an urban area that could benefit from such a program.

“I think it’s high time to expand these types of incentive programs to other places,” McBlain said. “It’s been very Chester-specific in Delaware County so far. That’s not a bad thing ... but we would like to be able to use these types of programs in other parts of the county.”

Council also appointed five members to the authority at varying term lengths — DELCORA Execuitve Director Joseph L. Salvucci, one year; Concord supervisors President Dominic A. Pileggi, two years; Springfield Commissioner Michael Culp, three years; James F. Bonner, M.D., four years; and Ridley Township commissioners President Robert Willert, five years.

About the Author

John Kopp is a reporter for the Delaware County Daily Times, who covers state and county politics. Follow him on Twitter @DT_JohnKopp Reach the author at jkopp@delcotimes.com
or follow John on Twitter: @DT_JohnKopp.